


Pokioh

by Ghost_Chan



Series: Pokioh [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Action, Adventure, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Supernatural - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-19
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-23 09:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8322115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghost_Chan/pseuds/Ghost_Chan
Summary: It's been 500 years since humanity's greed wiped out all Pokemon. Thirty years ago, a young scientist discovered a way to bring Pokemon to 'life': as holograms, using coded DNA, and a new form of battling was created. Since then, it has evolved from a child's game to a hobby to a lifestyle. Schools formed, to train duelists who would survive the world of the Pro League. One of the most prestigious of these schools is Jaden Ketchum Academy, which is located near the region of Alola. Join our heros as they fight to become the very best in their school, facing challenges from all sorts of places, and people, along the way.Contains characters and elements from different Yu-Gi-Oh stories (Yu-Gi-Oh, GX, 5 D's, etc) and Pokemon. Also contains characters based off of Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon, and OCs.Warning: Contains mild swearing and adult themes.





	1. Prologue

The room was pitch black, illuminated only by the occasional sparks. All of the electronics were destroyed, tables and chairs were overturned, and deep gorges covered the wall. A red-eyed redhead picked himself off of the cement floor. His closed lab coat was covered in dirt and blood, no longer a pristine white. His blonde wife was across the room in a sitting position, bleeding from her slit abdomen. "Celestia!" The woman's silver eyes opened as the man stumbled over to her. She winced.

"Garoth… Where's Rhyne?" The redhead flinched when he heard his daughter's name.

"I don't know… She followed Aman and Luna… Sage was with Augustus… I can't remember anything else." Garoth paused, listening to Celestia's shallow breathing and a loud rustling like a hundred wings beating together. "I think we just broke the Fourth Wall…" He placed his right hand behind his head as it throbbed and felt something thick and warm. "I should have never told Augustus to continue… We're going to die now because of it."

"Garoth," Celestia murmured, "what have I told you? You shouldn't blame yourself. Never dwell on the negative. I'm not the type to die so easily. Remember? I'm 'too Arceus-damned stubborn,' as Aeron likes to put it." She chuckled before coughing up some blood. "Damn… That was years ago…"

"That was yesterday," Garoth corrected. Celestia snorted.

"Arceus-damned smartass… Hasn't changed since we were kids." Both scientists were silent, thinking.

"Aman and Sage...those two kids got caught up in whatever happened." The two girls had been visiting. Sage came to ask for an internship, and Aman was there to see Rhyne.

"If Rhyne is with Aman...she'll be okay." Garoth nodded solemnly, then ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"What went wrong? Why are we separated from-"

" _...normally crack a joke about something like this..._ " Garoth jolted, and Celestia flinched as a ghostly whisper filled the air. There was something drawing nearer. Something...something that made shivers go up and down their spines.

" _...a guy. Any complaints?_ " Another voice joined in. The rustling sound was growing stronger.

" _...in anime, is hair logic ever an issue?_ "

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!** " A scream pierced the air, sending both into a panic.

"RHYNE!" Celestia screamed, then clutched her head as a wave of pain slammed into her. "GAROTH! GO!" But the redhead was already in motion, moving across the swaying room as fast as he could. The door was only a few feet away, then a few steps.

"RHYNE!" He pulled the door open, then the world fell into darkness.

In the infirmary, Aeron, Lily, and Rinyan were with Hermes, Freyja, and Gregory. Sabell was guarding the door, doing his normal job with his Zorua by him. Marlon and Inné were on two of the beds, still passed out.

"I wish there was more we could do," Rinyan murmured as she disinfected a long gash on Inné's cheek. The Kalosian physicist stirred slightly.

"No offense, Miss Rinyan," Aeron began, "but I don't think we could do much either way." By the door, Sabell let out a small puff of air, violet eyes meeting his Zorua's momentarily. Lily was staring at her folded hands.

"I shouldn't have pushed Cecil so hard. We should have run more preliminary tests, and we should have listened to you, Rinyan. This would have never happened otherwise." The strawberry blonde put her supplies on nearby table and laid a comforting hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

"No...it is mine. If I only had evidence to back up my suspicions, Augustus would have listened." There was a soft tapping noise, and they all looked over to see Hermes holding his small whiteboard up.

{ _It's all of our faults._ } His words read. He wiped the sleeve of his coat along the surface, then added more. { _We each had a part in whatever happened._ }

"Yes, Hermes is indeed correct." Said Gregory, pushing himself off the wall. "If we each played a part in their disappearance, then it is our job-" He paused dramatically, then continued, "no, it is our DUTY to bring them back!"

"Bravo, Mister Knight-in-Shining Armor. An excellent motivational speech." Aeron clapped his hands slowly and with great deliberance. The brown haired man scowled at him.

"Watch it, Pussyfoot." Before the pair of them could start arguing, a roll of bandages hit each in the face.

"Enough." Rinyan said with an air of finality. "We have greater things to worry about than you two getting into a spat."

"Spat?!"

"Listen here, woman-" But she had pulled out a pair of hypo-needles and had somehow managed to catch them both at once. It wasn't long before both men were on the ground.

"He is correct, though." The soft voice of Freyja caught everyone's attention. "We are the only ones here. Garoth, Celestia, Aman, Luna, Rhyne, Sage, Cecil...what has happened to them? We must do something about it. Who is in?"

"Marlon and Inné will, as am I." Rinyan said, determination coming into her eyes.

"As will I, and I can speak for the two idiots on the floor." Lily pointed down at Aeron and Gregory. Hermes nodded his confirmation, and Sabell smirked.

"NYE-HEH...I'M IN AS WELL." He looked down at his Zorua. "RAIDEN TOO." The Tricky Fox Pokémon gave a yip of confirmation. Rinyan looked around at their small group.

"The moment we are all well, we go into the lab. We will get to the bottom of this. This I swear."

In a completely different place, Cecil blinked, rubbing his eyes. _Where...am I? Where,_ his panic was rising, _is Luna? Garoth?! Celestia?! Aeron?!_ None of his fellow scientists were around, and he was alone. All he could remember was standing alongside Lily and Garoth, as the final sequences were initiated for their project, then a scream, a blast of light, and then...he was here.

"He...Hello…?" Silence. He glanced around at his surroundings. He was surrounded by white light, with wisps of multicolored energy floating everywhere. His hand reached out, but when he tried to touch one, his arm pulled back of it's own accord. The scientific part of him wanted to analyze it and discover what it was, but a more primitive part of him whispered that he shouldn't even be in this place.

"Gall… Gallade!" He spun around, black eyes connecting with red ones.

"Jain!" The Gallade stepped towards his trainer, head swiveling in every direction.

"Gal galad lade gallade?"

"Jain, do you know where we are?" The Gallade shook his head negative. The scientist's head turned back and forth, but there was still nothing that could identify their location.

Then his eyes widened. "Do you think this is what was behind the Fourth Wall?!" Jain thought a moment before shaking his head again. "I see." The two stood in silence for a moment. "Wait, how did you get out of your Pokéball?" Surprise washed over Jain's face, before a look of confusion and deep thought replaced it.

"Gallade...Gallade de llade." He shrugged. Cecil did a quick inventory of the items in his possession. He had his lab coat, three ballpoint pens, a folded piece of paper containing a note from Luna, a voice recorder, and his cellphone; Jain's Pokéball was nowhere to be found. Cecil checked his cellphone first. It didn't respond or light up, leading him to conclude the battery was drained. The same was true of his recorder.

" _...HO..._ " A voice echoed through the space they were in. Both Pokémon and human jumped. Jain's elbow blades shot out, and he assumed a defensive position. Cecil's head whipped back and forth.

"Who's there?!" There was no response. No voice, no figure appearing. Just the same, swirling, multicolored energy and white void. There was nothing. Slowly, very slow, Cecil's shoulders slumped, and he breathed out, and Jain rose ever so slightly from his position.

" _...fourth wall...really...?_ " Both tensed up again, but it was only a voice, whispering so low neither could really hear it. There were other voices that could be heard, but only some came clear enough for them to make out.

" _...shadows...?_ " A different voice, from elsewhere, followed by laughter.

" _...a common occurrence in the team._ "

" _...which one f*cked up and said listen..._ "

"What do you think these are…?" Cecil whispered, listening to the strange voices.

"Gal...Gallade al ade?"

" _...for some odd reason...sorta connected his personality with..._ "

" _... SH*T'S GONNA GO DOWN!_ "

" _...hair logic...thrown out the window...!_ "

"Do you think...these are part...of the Fourth Wall…?" Jain was silent, thinking, but relaxed, ever so slightly. "They seem...familiar?"

" _...as I started, I mentally heard a loud 'NYEHEHEH'..._ "

" _...where is this...domain...?_ "

" _...what are those voices...?_ " With that, they all faded away, leaving the human and Pokémon standing alone. Both stood in silence for several minutes.

"Well...that was stra-" A shiver coursed up and down his spine, and he spun around to see a strange, multicolored orb floating several yards away. He stumbled back in shock and broke out in a cold sweat.

"Gal..." Cecil expected Jain to rush forward and attack the orb, but to his shock, the Psychic-Fighting type retracted his elbow blades, bowed his head, and went on one knee. "Gal gallade lagade ade..."

"Jain...?" Cecil whispered, then he coughed. Then again, and again, until it was all he could do to draw breath. His stomach began to heave, and that morning's breakfast made it's way back up. After his stomach emptied itself, his knees began to buckle, against his will, and he fell to the ground. Beats of sweat began to roll down his face, and beside him, Jain was shaking like a leaf during a hurricane. Cecil felt like a pair of eyes were on him, judging him for everything he had done in his life, good and bad.

" _CECIL AUGUSTUS..._ " A voice came, not from the orb, but from all around him, echoing off of unseen walls and magnifying with each moment. " _GREED...PRIDE...ARROGANCE...THE CAUSE OF THE DOWNFALL. PAIN...DEATH...DESTRUCTION...THE RESULT OF THE FALL. FOOL._ " Cecil squeezed his eyes shut, tears forming. " _YOU WILL NOW FACE MY JUDGEMENT_."

None of them saw what got them.

* * *

Cresselia had known from the start what was going on. The moment Cecil and his fellow humans had unleashed Missingno, the entire universe had shifted. To most humans and Pokémon, it wasn't obvious. But Cresselia had sensed Missingno creeping into the dreams of innocent Pokémon, altering their genetic structure, starting what she knew would become an abomination. And she couldn't stop it. Nothing she could have done would have stopped it.

Worse of all, she had been ordered by Arceus himself to watch over the humans who had caused the epidemic as they suffered their punishment. At first, the Monarch of Light Dreams had scoffed in anger. _Why? They are the cause of all this!_ But as she watched them, their regret, anger, and guilt, she realized they were not as sinful as she thought they were. Yes, they were greedy, and driven by a false sense of knowledge, but after listening to their telepathic conversations, she knew they regretted their actions, and if they could, they would go back in a heartbeat and stop them. So she, Mew, and Mikaeru watched them, as they shared the pained with the Pokémon they had stood beside. And because the three Pokémon had stayed behind, they had been targeted by Missingno.

And they had not been the only ones. While most of the Legendary Pokémon had fled into the dimension beyond, where they were safe, some had stayed behind, to offer comfort and to try to halt Missingno's rampage. Of the legendaries she knew well, Celebi, Mewtwo, Latias, Latios, Manaphy, Diancie, and Meloetta had stayed. This didn't surprise Cresselia. They were Pokémon who allowed their love for humans and lower Pokémon to show (even Mewtwo, to a lesser degree). Darkrai had also stayed, which surprised Cresselia.

But the eliminations had happened so quickly. Mew had been taken down within weeks of Cresselia's last encounter with Darkrai, with Manaphy and Meloetta following soon after. She hadn't heard from the Eon Duo or Celebi in several months, and Mikaeru, their pseudo-legendary companion, had been caught while trying to help a group of Garchomp. Missingno was making it's way through their ranks, determined to finish them, since it couldn't affect any other legendary Pokémon.

But back to Darkrai.

It was Darkrai's staying had caused Cresselia to be confused and suspicious. She had never truly understood the Monarch of Dark Dreams. He always seemed to have some ulterior motive, and she had fallen for them more than once (she was not proud of that). But what did he have to gain from staying? He had to know that by staying he was sentencing himself to a painful death at the paws-hands-tentacles, whatever Missingno had.

That was why it was a surprise when he sought to talk to her one day.

She had been resting on Fullmoon Island, preparing for another long night of trying to bring peaceful dreams to Pokémon and humans alike, when the shadows of the trees had grown darker. The Pitch Black Pokémon couldn't usually enter her domain unless something was wrong with her, but she could always tell when he was nearby. Rising from the middle of the crescent-shaped lake, Cresselia made her way to the island that was conveniently located in-between Fullmoon and Newmoon Islands. Neutral territory, she liked to think.

Darkrai stood at the edge of the island, watching as she landed on the beach with less grace than she possessed. But she could blame Missingno for that. For a moment, the Monarchs of Dreams stared at one another.

"You called?" Cresselia asked dryly. Her counterpart chuckled. It was that annoying chuckle that made her want to blast him into the ocean with a super-powered Moon Blast.

"I did, actually. And I'm so glad that you took time out of your busy schedule to see me." The urge to blast the Pitch Black Pokémon into the ocean grew even stronger. Cresselia was not a violent Pokémon by nature, but he sure knew how to push her limits.

"What do you need, DARKRAI?" It came out stronger than she intended. He gave another chuckle.

"To offer my assistance." Her pink eyes narrowed.

"In what?"

"What else?" He spread his arms. "The common Pokémon are dying, and we do nothing."

"I still don't know what you're talking about."

"You're not using what Arceus gave you." Darkrai tapped his head. "The last remaining Pokémon are barely surviving. They are being captured by the humans in an even greater number, because of humanity's greed. I've sensed the human's darkest dreams, and even I don't wish upon any Pokémon what they're dreaming of."

"What do you mean?" Cresselia was almost hesitant to ask.

"Mewtwo." Was his answer, and Cresselia's blood ran cold.

The cloned version of Mew had always been strong, but it wasn't until Missingno appeared that his true strength was revealed. Instead of being weakened by Missingno, he was strengthened by it. It seemed that nothing would slow him down, or drain his strength. _Perhaps…_ Cresselia had wondered, _...it was because...his genes were already..._

"Modified." The Genetic Pokémon had never been thrilled to share his experiences with cloning and his time in captivity, but Cresselia knew it was horrible. "They'll be lab toys, caged, tortured, experimented on...I can't let that happen. " _Not to any Pokémon, cloned or not._

"You've managed to use your brain. Congratulations. Would you like a gold star?"

"What does that mean?"

"It's just a human expression." He waved an arm dismissively. "Speaking of, our islands are both safe havens from them. They do not dare trespass on our islands, lest they suffer the consequences. The Pokémon will be safe there." Blue eyes narrowed and he sneered. Cresselia remembered the last time a human had foolishly entered their domain without being summoned; Darkrai had made sure he suffered for years. And she couldn't blame him; said human had tried to capture her and would have succeeded if Darkrai hadn't picked up on her fear and come to save her (something he never let go (although Cresselia couldn't blame him; it had been one of her weaker moments)).

Distracted. Again.

"...And why should I trust you?"

"Do you have any other choice?" Was his response. Cresselia considered his words. For better or worse, she always had a connection with him, being the Monarchs of the Moon and Dreams. If he was being dishonest, he was hiding it extremely well. But he had managed to hide things from her before.

Still...what did he have to gain from acting with her? He WAS staying on this world, putting himself at risk to Missingno, and all his life, the Monarch of Dark Dreams tried to stay away from other Pokémon, to avoid inflicting them with his ability as they slept. The only one who was immune was Cresselia, and even then, they had their disagreements.

"...Very well. I will consider your proposal." Cresselia shifted, and turned towards the mainland. "We will discuss this at a later time." With that, she rose, unsteadily, into the air, and flew off, leaving gold, pink, and blue sparkles in her wake. There was very little to think over, but she had to get away from him to make certain she was rationing clearly. He had this way of influencing her...and she had learned from her many mistakes in the past that the best thing to do was to make her decision away from him.

Darkrai watched her go, a slight smirk hidden under his white, flowing fur. He was being completely honest when he offered his assistance, but he wouldn't be a Darkrai if he had just said it straight up. Especially to the swan.

Different timelines...different versions of him came and went...he had the biggest Dissociative Identity Disorder in the universes. Sometimes he was calmer, more refined, while other times he loved to cause chaos. Of course, switching places with the alternate versions. But there was one thing that stayed constant.

It was sadistic of him, but he had always loved doing things that drove Cresselia crazy. He loved the way her pink eyes gleamed in anger when she found out what he had done. He loved the way she said his name like a curse word. Sometimes it was good-natured messing around with her head, other times not.

He was so messed up. But what the hell? He was supposed to be the bad guy.

* * *

Kisara opened her eyes wearily, moaning softly as she shifted her scales. Every movement took it's toll on her. Her whole body hurt...so much...

Outside the entrance to her cave, the sun was shining, white clouds were floating in the blue sky, and the trees rustled in the wind. It could've been easily mistaken for a perfectly normal day.

But it wasn't. Kisara knew, deep in her soul, the end was near. Her body would fail her any day now, and there was no escape. No way to avoid death.

It should have been a blessing. All her family had slowly died off to Ketsuban, the unstoppable virus, and she was alone. And ever since evolving, there had always been humans after her. Because of her once beautiful white scales, and now, because she was one of the last dragons. There was no rest, no peace. And she would rather die than submit her soul or body to them.

But she didn't want it to end like this. Not hiding in her cave like a scared little Bagon. She wanted to go out in a burst of destruction, one final time before Ketsuban reached her heart and killed her. Yet she had no energy. Even shifting her body was unbearable. Every cell wanted to become something they weren't supposed to be...

There was a cracking of energized wings, a foreign sound, and then a heavy thud sounded from outside of her cave. Kisara drew a deep, ragged breath, recognizing the scent in a beat. It was only reinforced by the appearance of a black dragon, whose red eyes held her sapphire ones.

"Red Eyes...Black Dragon..." Kisara growled softly.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon." Her rival growled in the same, weary tone. It was clear, even to Kisara's tired eyes, that he was suffering from Ketsuban as well. His gleaming black scales, that he was so proud of, had lost their luster and fading into a smoky grey. _How appropriate...the rivals will both be dead soon._ She gave a humorless chuckle.

"...what do...you want?" The Haxorus gazed at her, no malice in his red eyes, only sadness.

"I feel you should be aware...we...are the last two dragons in the world." Kisara stilled, then lowered her head.

"So it has...come to this?" She didn't doubt or deny it. He would have no reason to lie to her. And she had known...sensed it for a while now. His words were only confirmation. The Axe Jaw Pokémon huffed, settling to the ground without invitation. Only a year ago, the female Salamance would have torn him to bits for such a thing, but now...but now...

"I have flown across the regions, searching for any dragon trail. Haxorus, Dragonite, Garchomp, Goodra, it doesn't matter. They are all fading, or gone completely." Kisara sighed again. "And you don't appear to be in a good condition. I guess I'll survive you. Ha! I guess I finally won."

"Good for you..." Kisara shut her eyes and laid her head on the rocks. She didn't even care if he struck her right then and there. It would less painful than the final moments Ketsuban promised.

"So the 'great' Blue Eyes is giving up? I would have never thought you'd sink so low." Red Eyes growled. "And you call yourself my rival?"

"When you sense death...in-between your scales...you will understand." The female Salamance said quietly. "I am ready to go...better place...where I can see my family...There is nothing...to live for."

"So you don't want to kill me anymore? I'm touched, Blue Eyes." Red Eyes' voice held a smirk. Kisara opened her eyes, which held an angry fire.

"...would love nothing more bu-" She convulsed, blood spilling from her mouth. "...can't..."

"Hmph. Pathetic, as usual." She groaned, then was surprised when he rose, and then resettled next to her.

"What...?"

"Since you're the second-to-last dragon in the world, it's my duty to be with you until the end." He snorted.

"You have...sense of duty?" Kisara rumbled. The Haxorus ignored the jab and kept going.

"I'm only doing this because you're the last female dragon alive."

"When has...female had anything to do...?"

"Absolutely nothing." Was his curt reply. She groaned.

"...hate you."

"I assure you, the feeling is mutual." There was a moment of silence before Kisara asked,

"...your name? Want...know name...rival..."

"Jonouchi. Yours?"

"Kisara..."

"A pathetic name for a pathetic dragon." She gave a weak growl.

"Mirror Force...you. If meet again...we'll...not stop fighting..." Red Eyes-Jonouchi chuckled.

"Damn right."

* * *

" _ **KAH-KAH!**_ "

Eve was at Justin's side the moment she heard his waking cough. It was a raspy cough, occasionally accompanied by bloody phlegm or salty tears. His body shook as his lungs expanded and contracted, trying to get the oxygen he needed.

"Shh...it's okay...I am here." She placed a paw on his head, gently stroking his fur. The Eevee's red eyes opened, searching for her. She leaned in, yellow eyes reflecting the dim light.

"E-E...vah..." She smiled a sad smile.

"Yes?"

"Wa...der..."

"Alright. Let me get it." The Zoroark stood, then raced down the tunnels.

She had first found the Eevee shortly before the Ketsuban epidemic had started. Eve had been a Zorua, and passing through the outskirts of Driftveil City, hidden under an Illusion. She had been looking for food when she stumbled across a battle between two trainers and the Pokémon they controlled. The red-traited Evolution Pokémon was strong, she could tell, but the Scolipede he had been forced to fight was a monster. There was no other way to describe it. The Megapede Pokémon had beaten him to near death, but instead of taking the battered Eevee to a Audino for healing, the human had left him in the woods. Abandoned him. Something in Eve wouldn't allow him to die, so she stayed, gathering berries and doing her best to help him survive.

And he did. Justin recovered, and stayed with her, even when things started going downhill, even when her family kicked her out, and even when the Pokémon they knew started dying. And so she would stay with him, until the end. Ketsuban was the one thing they couldn't overcome. Both knew that. Both had accepted it.

Eve knelt next to the pool of water, retrieving a small bowl from her hair-like fur. Filling the bowl to the brim, she took the opportunity to look around.

The walls were covered in ice, a testimony to the season, as was most of the mountain. Which was best for both her and Justin. Cold slowed down the effects of Ketsuban, and eased the pain it caused.

Riley, a Lucario she knew, had told them about this place when Justin started to show signs of having contracted Ketsuban. Eve could still recall his words.

" _There's a place near Twist Mountain that isn't known by anyone. There's special berries that grow on the walls, and a spring that's always full. You can go there, and be safe. You'll be able to find some kind of rest._ "

 _Poor Riley._ Eve lamented. He had told her that right after his partner and mate, Anna, had died. She had been the first Eve knew to perish from Ketsuban. And it had broken Riley's heart. Since speaking with her and Justin, the Lucario had vanished into thin air. Eve sadly wondered if his broken heart, once mended by the Ninetales, couldn't take anymore and he had followed her to Giratina's domain.

Returning to Justin, Eve knelt beside the Eevee, and lifted his head, allowing him to lap the water up. When he was done, Eve set the bowl to the side, and lay on the ground next to him.

"How are you feeling?" She softly asked. He blinked, focusing on her.

"I've... had worse."

"Yes...that's true." He closed his eyes, worn out. _If he had evolved...what would he have been? An Umbreon? A Jolteon? Or something else?_ "Are you up for walking around today?" He shook his head.

"Just want to talk."

"About what?"

"Why...did you save me? All those years ago?" This was a strange topic, but if he wanted to talk about it, why not? Eve thought a moment.

"Even now, I am not certain. It was like something inside me was crying out. When you were fighting that Scolipede...it was like I could feel every injury, every cut, every bruise. Something told me that you were special."

"And why did you let me stay with you-!" he coughed, then continued, "when things got worse?"

"Even if I had told you to go, you would have stayed." They both chuckled.

"Yeah, I would've." He looked at her gleaming eyes. "You never really told me why your family kicked you out." Eve went deathly silent as the light died from her eyes. After silence persisted for several minutes, Justin managed to rise to his paws, despite the pain, and resettle next to the Zoroark. "Eve?"

"It was because my father was a bastard." She whispered. "He literally drove my mother crazy, although I never found out why. She was the tribe leader, and once a great Zoroark. And every time they would see me, they would be reminded of better times." She gave a humorless laugh. "Before I was born, the tribe was infamous. We are descendants of the Great Zoroark who served the King. But after my mother went crazy...they...we...fell apart. Picked off by humans. Picked off by other Pokémon. Fell into disarray. And when I brought you...an outsider, that...that...was...the...final...straw..."

"Oh...Eve..." The Eevee was at loss for words. "I'm so sorry."

"That's okay. I never really cared about them anyway." She shook her head, then forced a smile onto her face. "And I would have never had all the adventures I did with you." Justin was silent, and she embraced the quiet. Then abruptly he said,

"Will you be my mate?"

"...eh?"

"I said, will you be my mate?" He repeated, with more conviction. Eve sat up.

"What?"

"I should have asked ages ago." He rolled onto his back, looking up at the cave ceiling. "But I was always too much of a coward. I guess now that I've got nothing to lose…" He glanced over at her. Eve's jaw was on the ground, and she was staring at him like he had grown an extra head.

"You...were scared?" Justin? The smart-mouthing, courageous Eevee who had stuck with her through hell and back? Eve couldn't believe it.

"I know, it's a shitty reason." He groaned. "But hey, can you blame me?"

"...Yes, I can." His gaze snapped to the yellow-traited Illusion Fox Pokémon, who had a scary aura around her. Justin gulped, wondering what he had done. Her eyes were hidden by her fur-hair, but her ears were laid back flat against her head. "You have waited...over six years…? And made me wonder...what you were doing?" She grabbed him, and lifted him up. Justin flinched, and squeezed his eyes shut. " _Babo_ …" The tone of her voice made him look up. There were tears in her eyes. "You made me wonder...if something was wrong with me for loving you?"

"Huh?" He blankly said. She leaned in, nuzzling his cheek.

"Arceus, Justin! I'm saying yes!" She screamed happily, spinning in circles. The stunned Eevee couldn't respond, even when she stopped spinning and his vision cleared from the wave of nausea.

"Wait, what?" He asked, rather stunned.

"Do I have to drill it into your head?" Eve leaned her forehead against his, eyes gleaming. Her evolved form was at least four times his height, but that never bother him. Now he was slightly intimidated.

"...ahh...maybe?" Eve giggled.

"Silly Eevee…" She nuzzled his cheek, and he responded, nuzzling her back. "It took you so long to ask."

"Silly Zoroark." He chuckled. "It took you so long to figure it out."

"Hey...that's not amusing."

As they lay together that night, next to each other, Justin shut his eyes, breathing in the cold air and the smell of Eve. It was a soft smell, like tamato leaves and chesto berries, mixed with a smell that reminded him of what had once been home. He could still feel Ketsuban in the back of his mind, but he didn't notice it as much. And even though being with him meant she would die sooner, Eve had stayed with him. _Even if I die now...I'm satisfied…_ He gave a small chuckle. _Eve's right. I'm baka. Why did I wait so long to ask?_

* * *

He stood at the outside of the Great Tree, looking out across the forest. It was fairly quiet, save for the wind blowing in the trees, and the leaves rustling in the nearby bushes. His blue eyes scanned the sky and saw nothing. The Sceptile shook his head, shut his eyes, and extended his senses outward.

Besides the plants, the forest was in absolute silence. There were no Bird Pokémon perched in the branches, their songs filling the air. There were no Earthan Pokémon burrowing in the ground, digging their tunnels. The entire forest, from top to bottom, was devoid of Pokémon. The Great Tree was the last safe haven. He looked out on a different level, and scowled when he sensed something unpleasant nearby.

 _Missingno._ Tiempo growled, preparing an attack. The strange un-Pokémon-like organism was slipping closer to the Great Tree, no doubt wanting to infect another one of his tribe. _Hell no._ It was closing in, and he snarled, releasing an extremely overpowered Leaf Storm in the direction he sensed Missingno. _Get out of here._ There was an unpleasant chill that shot up his spine, and he knew he had grabbed Missingno's attention. It was like a pair of eyes were fixed on him, hatred and loathing pouring out of them. Missingno slipped closer, closing in on him, but he smirked, reaching up to grasp one of the stones that hung from his neck.

 _Rayquaza above, who soars amongst the stars, heed my plea._ He shut his eyes as a blast of light enveloped him, driving Missingno back. He could feel his strength doubling, and his body transforming into its stronger form.

Infecting a Mega-Evolved Pokémon was ten times harder than infecting a normal Pokémon. And he had faced off against Missingno before.

"Leave." The threat was empty, but issued anyway. "You'll get past me the day I die, and not before."

 _And I will be there to cause it._ A raspy voice snarled, before he felt the presence of Missingno fade away. He sighed. It would be back, that was a given. However, he would keep deterring the virus-like organism until his body finally gave out.

Turning, he slipped in-between two roots and entered the Great Tree, allowing his Mega Evolution to end. The Sceptilite clinked against the Sableye stone as it settled on his chest.

The first floor was empty, no surprise. The remainder of his tribe were hiding in the upper layers, where they were less likely to be disturbed.

Still, Tiempo could remember a time, less than a decade ago, when the Tree had been a hub of activity for the Konoha Tribe and the surrounding regions. Travelers, tribesmen, and important Pokémon had gathered for information, shelter, and good times. There was always chatter, always new Pokémon coming, always a certain...aura in the air that made everyone content.

Then Missingno had hit.

It had started off slow, with much confusion as to why Pokémon were slowing down, and dying one by one with excruciating pain. Then one Pokémon figured it out, and thanks to the Psychic Network, panic had spread. Almost overnight, allies vanished into hiding, and rogue tribes began to prowl the land, searching for easy targets even though they were becoming targets themselves to Missingno. He and his fellow Guardians had become more active, more cautious, as rogues and enemies entered their territory, ready to kill or drive them away so they could have the land for themselves. It was strangely similar to the ancient days, Crystal had told him.

He could still recall one experience that had severely tested his vow not to kill.

It had been a Serperior and his tribe, and they had not only threatened his family, but insulted the female Guardians. Alejandra and Zela had been ready to kill, until Warren had landed a well-aimed Magical Leaf arrow in front of the offending Pokémon to shut him up. A Beedrill, the Serperior's right-paw Pokémon, had then blatantly questioned his leadership, and Zela had beaten him in the the duel that followed, even with the Beedrill Mega Evolving. Then, when Serperior had tried to attack him when his back was turned, and he had nearly snapped. The group had fled before night fell, aware that he would kill them if they didn't leave.

The next day, Hayet had died. He was only a kid, and the first one to die from Ketsuban. The others had followed one by one...

Before heading up the tree's core, he paused at the base of the spine, where a giant stone slab sat. He looked at the stone, running a claw over the names of his fellow guardians. They were dead now, victims of Ketsuban. Their names were a memorial to the lives they had lived, and their service to the Konoha Tribe, listed in the order they had gone, resting alongside the Guardians of the past.

Hayet-Aipom-11

Warren-Roselia-31

Alejandra-Simisage-26

Susana-Lilligant-22

Alvin-Beautifly-23

Silvia-Breloom-19

He shut his eyes, not wanting to look any longer. Without looking, he crouched and sprung, leaping into the lower boughs of the Great Tree, to the Infirmary. Once, it was where the sick and injured Pokémon rested. Now, it was those who Ketsuban had cursed spent their last days.

It was where Darin, his second-in-command now lay. The Shiftry's eyes were closed, leaves a muddy brown, all the color drained from him, breath coming in ragged gasps.

"How is he?" He asked Bellosom, who had taken over for Susana when she had died.

"Not good. He's slipping in and out of conscious, and crying even in his sleep. The healing herbs I'm using aren't having much effect." She paused, then tentatively said, "If I had some aspear berries, I could do more."

"I'll go looking for some." He nodded, and she relaxed. Aspear berries were good for treating burns, and something about their cooling properties also helped with the pain Ketsuban caused. But since they were highly effective, they were in high demand...and very hard to find as a result. It wasn't a surprise that Bellosom had been hesitant in bringing them up. Looking around once more, confirming that nothing else was unusual, he left, leaping higher into the tree, where his own resting place was: the room of the chief and head Guardian. Walking over to his desk, he took a deep breath, leaning against it for support.

Zela was out in the field today with a few of the braver Pokémon, gathering food. They would be okay against other Pokémon if they tried to attack; the Leavanny could hold her own. But if Missingno found them… _No. I refuse to think about that._

There was the faint sound of bells, and Tiempo knew who it was. It was a welcome distraction.

"Crystal." He whispered when he felt her hug him from behind.

"My dear Tiempo..." She sighed. "How are you doing?"

"...fine." Lie. But she didn't call him out on it.

"The others...?" He placed his clawed paws over her smaller ones.

"...not well." Partial lie. But he couldn't tell her how many had gone to Arceus's domain. Or how many were on their way there. Or out of the nine forest guardians, only three remained: him, Darin, and Zela, although Darin...would soon be leaving them... Or how that of the hundreds of Pokémon that had originally taken shelter in the Great Tree, only a few dozen remained. Or that he had thought that after everything he had gone through in his life, he wouldn't feel the pain, but with the loss of every member of the tribe...it felt like his heart was breaking a thousand times over. Or how he was their leader, but he couldn't do anything.

But she knew, and she understood. She had been traveling all over the world, trying to help their kind. But like he, she couldn't do anything. She had seen her fair share of deaths, tragedies, and now, the beginning of the end.

"My dear Tiempo..." The Celebi fluttered around so she was in front of him. Her eyes held the same weariness that his did. "It's okay to cry." He shook his head. He had to hold onto the illusion of strength, and not show weakness before his tribe.

"I can't." Smiling sadly, she waved a paw, and an opaque bubble surrounded them, cutting them off from the outside world.

"Now no one can see. And I won't judge you, my dear." She reached out, and he broke.

He cried for his friends, who had faded one by one.

He cried for his tribe, who had been driven to the bottom.

He cried for his fellow guardians, who were gone.

He cried for the future he could have had with Crystal.

He cried for the Pokémon he couldn't save.

He cried. And he could feel Crystal's tears joining his as they mourned together.

* * *

A voice boomed out, crossing time and space. Wherever they were, moments before their bodies gave out to Ketsuban, every Pokémon heard the voice, calling to them. Heads rose and eyes wearily opened. It was a call for help. A call for any who would carry on the fight.

Many responded to the call. Many chose to continue fighting.

They would wait many years before they had their chance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which chaos ensues, as a plot device to put our heroes in a slightly sticky situation. Thankfully a solution is found, but it's only the beginning of something greater... Alice really should have been keeping an eye on Tiempo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ghost: Hey there!
> 
> Kitsune: Hello, dearest readers!
> 
> Ghost: Welcome to Pokíoh, a crossover between Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh GX!
> 
> Kitsune: Mainly GX. We actually will be using all current summoning methods.
> 
> Ghost: For those of you who don’t know, that’s Normal, Synchro, Fusion, Ritual, XYZ, and Pendulum. If you don’t know what those are, yugioh.wikia.com is a useful tool! We’ll also be using Evolution Summoning, but we can explain more about that later. Anyway! We’ll be using Pokémon as the card characters!! For example, Necro Gardna is a Zoroark, and Red Eyes Black Dragon is a Shiny Haxorus.
> 
> Kitsune: We made other changes, but… We’ll leave that as a surprise.
> 
> Ghost: *Sort-of-Evil Laughter* We’ve had so much fun with this! There will be some characters you know, and characters you may not recognize. But not everything is as it seems…
> 
> Kitsune: Sit back...
> 
> Ghost: …and join us on a crazy ride! Let’s duel!

* * *

_ “I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE PROMISE I MADE THOSE MANY YEARS AGO. I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOUR CRIES, WHICH I DID NOT ANSWER. I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE SUFFERING THAT WAS INFLICTED ON YOU.” _

_ “I TELL YOU THIS: I WILL KEEP MY PROMISE.” _

*~*~*

For many years, Pokémon have been the thing of myths. Some people doubt that they even existed, while others wonder what it would be like for them to be alive today.

I know the truth of what happened. Not just what history tells, but I know those who caused the downfall, and those who suffered. I may not have been there, but I know exactly what happened.

Hundreds of years before we were alive, Pokémon roamed the planet, interacting with humanity, becoming friends and allies, fighting alongside humans and other Pokémon in great battles. There were many different species, and different attributes-types, each Pokémon unique in itself. Some of these were Warriors-Fighting types, Light-Psychic or Fairy types, Thunder-Electric types, Wind-Flying types, and Inferno-Fire types. A human who specialized in training and befriending Pokémon was a Trainer. They could participate in a number of events, such as contests or battles, depending on what they and their Pokémon loved to do.

But that’s in the past, now.

Because of humanity’s greed, Pokémon slowly vanished, dying off, until not one remained in the world. All that we had left were the memories, which faded with time, information recorded on Pokédexes, devices that lost their purpose, and the fossils they left behind. Humanity was alone, even as long-extinct animals such as dogs and cats were brought back to life. All attempts to restore Pokémon ended in utter failure, and it became the ultimate taboo.

Then, thirty years ago, a team of scientists discovered a way to insert coded Pokémon DNA into cards chips. A young scientist, just out of high school, then created a program to read the code, and coupled with technology from the Devon Corp., a new form of battling was created.

It quickly evolved from a child’s game to a hobby to a lifestyle. Clubs, tournaments, conferences, and leagues were created, just like the old days. Schools began forming, to train duelists for survival of the Pro League, the highest level of competition.

One of the most prestigious schools is Jaden Ketchum Academy, located on an island in the Eastern Sea, near the region of Alola. It’s named after Jaden Ketchum, the first Champion of the World Tournament and Pro League, and the only Champion to give up the title.

This is where the story begins.

*~*~*

Phoenix Infernis made her way through the groups of students standing at the top of an arena. All of the students wore a uniform, but the colors and design were not unanimous. There were students wearing long blue coats, yellow sailor tops, and red vests. Each had a device attached to their arm, mostly white sans accents coordinating with their uniform color, and a deck holster attached to their belt. Several of the students ducked their heads in acknowledgement, but she continued by them until she reached the barrier that separated them from the potential students.

Three years...three years and the emotions that hung in the air were still addictive as the day she had been taking her own Entrance Exam. Hope, excitement, disappointment, and sadness. She personally prefered the first two, knowing how heartbreaking the last two were. Looking down at the teenagers in the bleachers, she observed as they interacted with each other, all friendly for the most part.  _ How that may change when they’re placed. Someone they are friends with now may become their rival or ‘enemy’. _ Phoenix thought about a pair of girls she knew.  _ How will they be assigned? Will they be placed into Kyogre Blue? Raikou Yellow? Or Moltres Red? _ Not that she cared for the caste system, but it was the way the school worked. Motivation to do better, determination to escape the bottom, the works.  _ A load of B-and-S if you ask me. _ The girl in the white-yellow uniform scoffed.  _ Who needs it? _

“Phoenix.” She looked over at the person who said her name and smiled.

“Shio.” She nodded back to the Kyogre Blue before turning her gaze back to where the new students were gathered. “An interesting group this year, don’t you think?” Shio’s eyes skimmed the crowd.

“Who’s caught your eye?”

Phoenix nodded in the direction of a lone, green-haired boy who was looking down at his deck with worried eyes, then pointed at a brunette who was off to one side, whose eyes were kept firmly on her boot-clad feet. “Those two, so far.”

“Well, you only get one.” Shio giggled, referring to a bet the girls had made the previous year, in which they they would chose a candidate, and see which would go further during their first year. The bluette pointed to a boy with dark blue hair, who was surrounding by the students who had already completed their duels. “My bet’s on him.” Phoenix thought a moment before she had an idea.

“Choose another, just to keep it even. It’s our last year. Why not raise the stakes?” Both girls laughed.

“Okay then.” Shio looked around before pointing to a boy with rusty red hair and amber eyes. “I’ll go with him.”

“Same rules as last year?” Phoenix asked, a challenging tone to her voice, before it turned mischievous. “Or raise the stakes?”

“You’re on.” Shio was beginning to grin like a madwoman. “We’ll decide the stakes later.” She began to extend her hand, the pulled back, a wary look in her eye. “You’re awfully confident. Are you pulling something like you were last year?”

“Huh?” The blue-coated girl waggled a finger.

“I’m talking about how you knew about your two friends were coming from Sinnoh, and then the painful loss I suffered because of that knowledge!” She put a hand to her forehead and pretended to faint. Phoenix rolled her eyes in response.

“I don’t know anyone who’s taking the Entrance Exam. I swear on my duel disk.” She placed her right hand on the yellow-accented duel disk attached to her arm. Shio eyed her for a moment before holding out her hand.

“Then may the odds be ever in your favor.”

“And the same to you!” They shook.

*~*~*

A pair of teenagers, a boy and a girl, raced down the paved road, dragging suitcases behind them that jumped with every crack. Both wore middle school uniforms, and had commercial duel disks attached to their arms. The girl, whose pink hair was pulled back into a ponytail except for a few strands, led them. The boy, who had short-cut brown hair, was muttering under his breath as they ran towards a domed building that stood at the end of the road.

“Come on, Chase!!” The girl yelled as she pulled further ahead. “We’re going to be late!!”

“Well whose fault would that be?” He muttered under his breath, but sped up anyway. The pair continued to run towards the arena.

“Where’s the entrance?!” The pink-haired girl came to a halt in front of the dome, looking around. There was no sign telling them where to go.

“Hold on.” Chase reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a PokeNav, and scrolling through the options. “Alright. This way, Alice.”

“Right behind you!” Chase led the girl, Alice, towards the left side, and after a few more minutes of running, they saw an entrance. “Alright! This must be it! Onward!” She cheered, taking the lead again and jogging to the doors, which slid open. The reception area was quiet except for a pair of security guards who stood nearby, chatting to each other.

“Heelloo!!!” Alice cheered, and they looked up. “We’re here for the dueling portion of the entrance exam!!” The two guards looked at each other before one shrugged.

“You’re a little late, but we first need your identification.”

“Alright!” Both duelists reached into their bags, and pulled out identification cards, handing them to the guard, who turned to a computer.

“Application ID Oh-Two-Four-Three-Two-One-Two-Two-Three-Five-Two-Four.” A picture of Alice appeared on the screen, followed by her information.

“Cleared.” The guard handed Alice’s card back to her, and she walked through the gate.

“Application ID Oh-Two-Four-Three-Two-Three-Two-Three-Three-Four-Three-Seven.” The same procedure was done for Chase, and his picture and information appeared on the screen.

“Go ahead.” The guard returned Chase’s card and opened the gate. “But you might be too late. Duels are supposed to end any minute now.”

“Thank you.” Chase bowed and joined Alice. “Come on. No wasting time.”

“Okay!!” The two walked further into the building, following the ever-increasing sound of talking and cheering. Alice was shaking with excitement. She had been looking forward to this day for over a year, and now she was finally going to start her dream of entering the Pro Leagues. And with her best friend by her side, she felt like nothing could stop her.

Heading down a tunnel, the two teenagers finally emerged into the sports stadium-turned-dueling arena. Students wearing different colored and styled uniforms were spread out, talking to those around them, or grouped against a rail, watching the duel below them.

“We’re finally here!” Alice cheered, jumping up and down in excitement.

“Key word is finally.” Chase grumbled, setting down his bags. “Why’d your dad have to take the long route?”

“But it’s the scenic route!”

“Alice...” He warned.

“Oh look, they’re dueling!” The spastic girl dashed off, leaving her friend with her bags.

Alice pushed her way through the crowd, hearing the sounds of attacks being delivered and cards being activated. It was addicting. She grinned, feeling the excitement flowing from her holster. They were ready to tear up the school, like she was.

“I play Green Eyed Riolu!” She heard someone’s voice, over the crowd’s cheer. “And special summon  Magnet Warrior Gamma from my hand with Green Eyed Riolu’s ability! I play one card face down, and end my turn!”

“I draw.” A deeper voice,  _ a teacher? _ “I summon Volbeat, the Flirt and attack your Green Eyed Riolu with Signal Beam.”

“I’m activating Mirror Force! Your attack is negated, and all your Pokioh are destroyed!”

“Too bad! I activate his effect. Because Miss Illumise is on the field, he cannot be targeted by trap cards. Green Eyed Riolu is going down.”

“ _ Holy Arceus! What’s going on?! _ ” The announcer yelled, and a blast of light emerged from the center of the arena. The people around her shielded their eyes, but to Alice, it seemed more like a soft light one might find in a dappled forest. She took the opportunity to push closer to the edge so she could actually see what was going on, and gasped when she broke through to the edge.

The Riolu down on the West end of the arena was glowing. And not the type of glow when Instant Evolution was played. No, this type of glow was more calming...more peaceful than the sudden, forced burst that followed Instant Evolution. The light grew stronger, and Riolu began to grow, legs growing longer, ears sharpening, spikes coming out of his paws. The burn marks on his tail began to fade into smooth fur, but it wasn’t the normal blue. It was dark blue, but instead of having bone-white markings, green and gold body armor and gauntlets appeared on his body. The now-Lucario’s eyes opened, and Alice gasped when she saw they were glowing green. She reached to her deck holster, touching her own cards. Her deck was practically vibrating in excitement.

Her mind recalled a piece of information that she had once heard. It had been more like a rumor, an urban legend, something that was only spoke about on chat sites or when there was nothing else to talk about. About a type of Pokioh card that, under certain circumstances, would undergo a strange type of evolution that no one could explain. An evolution that would permanently alter a card, a glitch that broke many of the Duel Monsters rules.

“So that’s EVOlution...wow…” Alice whispered, as the light began to die away. The students around her were rubbing their eyes and giving startled yells.

“Alright!” The dark-haired duelist yelled. There was a look of confusion on his face, but his excitement seemed to mirror Alice’s. The Lucario turned to look at his duelist, and bowed his head in acknowledgement. “Desert Tomb Lucario’s stats are raised, so your attack won’t work on him!” This was confirmed when the Lucario raised his armored wrist, deflecting the beam of light towards the green-coated adult, whose Hit Points dropped as a result of the failed attack.

“End...turn.” The teacher said slowly.

“I draw. You’re going down! I attach Sir Aaron’s Staff to Desert Tomb Lucario,” an ornate staff appeared, and the Warrior Pokioh grabbed it, “and activate Roundabout. This card was down for six turns, so I can attack you directly! And with Sir Aaron’s Staff, you get hit twice! Desert Tomb Lucario! Double Bone Rush!!” The Lucario dashed around the two Insect-type Pokioh, bringing down a green bone-staff down twice on the man, dropping his HP to 0.

A cheer shook the arena, and Alice joined in as the illusions vanished. The teacher stepped forward, and shook the blue-haired boy’s hand.

_ Wow, wow, wow!!  _ The pinkette was shaking in her shoes from excitement.  _ That was so cool! So awesome! I wanna duel him! Really badly! And I know you do too! _

“Alice!” Chase pushed his way through the slowly dispersing crowd, pulling their bags behind him. “Why’d you run off like that?”

“They were dueling! You should have seen the EVOlution, Chase! It was so awesome! It’s not just a myth! It’s real!” Chase sighed. He understood Alice’s enthusiasm for anything that had to do with dueling, and he shared it, but there was a time and place for that, and now was not that time.

“I’m sure it was. But come on. We need to get checked in.” She glanced down at the field one more time before nodding resolutely.  _ I’ll do my best, so that one day I’ll get a chance to duel that Desert Tomb Lucario. _

“‘kay!” The two of them made their way back through the crowd of students.

“Excuse me, miss.” Chase tapped the shoulder of a girl wearing a red jacket. “Could you point me in the direction of where we go to be signed up for a duel.” The girl seemed concerned.

“You just arrived?”

“Yep!”

“But that was supposed to be the last duel!”

“EH?!” The red-vested girl stood on her toes, looked around quickly, and pointed to their left.

“Over there, look for a tall, blonde man! He’s in charge of the schedule! You’ll have to hurry!”

“Okay! Thanks a lot!” Alice called as she and Chase dashed away.

“Good luck!” The red-vested girl called back.

“Come on! Come on!” Chase grabbed Alice’s hand and pulled her along behind him.

“Right behind you!” It was hard to miss the man they had been directed to find. While all of the students were wearing red, blue, or yellow uniforms, the adults were wearing green coats, and a group of them were gathered around a computer, talking about the results. The tallest of them stood near the rear of a group, examining a clipboard. They had blonde hair, but their appearance could belong to either a man or woman.  _ Is this the person we were sent to find? _

“Excuse us!” Conversation in the group ceased when Chase came to a halt two feet from them and Alice almost collided with the table. She gave them a cheesy grin.

“Hey! We’re here to take the dueling part of the entrance exam!” Several of the staff members glanced at each other. The one in the back glanced down at their clipboard, then at a golden watch.

“You are too late.”

“What do you mean we’re too late?!” Chase exclaimed.

“Exactly what I said.” The official said stiffly. Their voice was too deep for a woman, although the feminine appearance had been misleading. “You came late four minutes late, and are therefore eliminated from the entrance exam.”

“But we’ve already taken the written section of the exam!”

“That’s irrelevant.”

“Please, we’ve come a long way! We’ve been looking forward to it! And what are we going to do if we can’t take it?!”

“Under no condition am I revoking my judgement. Try again next year.” The blonde-haired official scowled at them, and turned to walk away, the others on his heels.

_ Dammit! We’ve come too far to let this stop us!  _ Chase turned to Alice, unclipped his deck holster from his belt, and handed it to her. “Stay here and don’t cause trouble.”

“Yes sir!” Alice attached Chase’s holster to her belt and went into a salute. Chase gave a weak chuckle, before running after the officials.

It wasn’t long before the pink haired duelist became bored. Everyone around her was talking excitedly, wondering how’d the new students would get placed and various aspects of the Academy.

From what she could gather, the students who had the best shot at Blue were those who had cleanly won their duels; Yellows had also achieved a clear victory; Reds had just narrowly won.

The pink-haired girl gravitated towards one particular group of students, and began to listen in on their conversation.

Meaning she zoned out the conversation of her and Chase’s partners.

“ _ We’re finally aqui! _ ” A girl’s voice squealed.

“ _ Well, it doesn’t do much good if they can’t get admitted. _ ”

“ _ You are such a killjoy Tiempo. _ ” Another girl muttered to the boy’s comment.

“ _ Hmph. _ ”

“ _ My dear Tiempo, lighten up! There are several others here! I can sense them. _ ” A sing-song voice exclaimed.

“ _ We all can Crystal. _ ”

“ _ I wonder who they are. _ ”

“ _ How about we go find out? _ ”

**_SMACK!_ **

“ _ And leave Alice? Verguenza! _ ”

“ _... _ ”

“ _ My dear Tiempo? Is something the matter? _ ”

“ _...no... _ ” A strangled whisper.

“ _ Eve? Are you okay? _ ”

“ _...he is here… _ ” The same, terrified whisper.

“ _ Quien? _ ”

“ _ HE...him...how dare he show his face here… _ ”

“ _ Tiem...? Are you okay? _ ”

“ _ Tiempo! Where are you going?! _ ”

A boom shook the stadium, causing everyone to fall to their knees. When Alice managed to rise to her feet, she gasped. Chase’s partner was at the bottom of the arena, exchanging blows with a shadowy figure. “Oh Arceus!” She grabbed Chase’s holster, shuffling through his cards quickly until she came upon one. It’s surface was glowing, and that glow intensified every time the arena shock.

“TIEMPO GROVYLE!!!” The pink-haired duelist screamed, running down the stairs. She could see two figures duking it out, neither gaining the upper-hand. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

“ _ Alice! Move! _ ” Something slammed her off the stairs, just before a green orb exploded where she had been moments before. Unfortunately, her momentum carried her into a group of new students. One of them, a blue-haired boy, had no chance to react before Alice collided with him, both toppling to the bleachers.

“Alex!”

“Hey!”

“What the hell is that chick doing?”

“Dude!”

“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!” Alice cried, struggling to her feet. But the boy she had collided with didn’t respond; he was out cold. “I’m so sorry!” She pushed herself off him, stumbling towards the stairs.  _ Got other things to worry about! _ Tiempo and the shadow’s fight was growing more violent, causing the whole building to shake. “All of you! Help me!!” She yelled, drawing the attention of nearby students.

“ _ On it! _ ”

_ “Tiempo! Enough!!” _

_ “Of course!” _

“Alice!” She turned, seeing Chase standing at the top of the stairs. Unlike everyone else, who was looking at her, his eyes were fixed on the fight down at the center of the arena. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know! Tiempo’s going crazy!”

“Where’s my deck?!”

“Deck?” She scratched her head.

“Yes, deck!!! We need his card to seal him!” Alice looked down at her belt, and swallowed when she only saw her holster attached.

“Uh...I don’t know?”

“ _ Alice! At your dos! _ ” The pink-haired duelist turned, and spotted Chase’s deck holster, some of the cards spilling open. Unfortunately, it was near the fight at the bottom of the arena.

“Aha!” She leapt forward, taking the stairs two at a time as the explosions grew worse. She could hear Chase behind her, charging down the stairs. The explosions were the least of her problems, though, so she kept running towards the cards. “Protect!!”

_ “Yah!!” _ A blue shield appeared around her, unseen by everyone else. It took the worst of a direct explosion, but the after-blast knocked her off her feet.  _ “Alice!!” _

“Protect her!” Chase yelled, running past Alice. “Crystal!”

_ “Yes!” _ A shield appeared around the brown-haired duelist, this one stronger than the one that had surrounded Alice. He reached the bottom of the arena, grabbing his holster and scooping the loose cards off the floor. The power cut, throwing everything into darkness and chaos, and screams rose. But Chase could see, thanks to the glow the shield gave off. Using it, he located the card he needed.  _ Arceus help me. _ Trying to ignore the shadows that raced around him, he spotted the individual he was looking for because of the green glow they gave off. He moved forward.

“Tiempo…” Chase ground his teeth, smacking the card against the green fighter. “Return!!” There was a frustrated scream, accompanied by a flash of light as the card in Chase’s hand grew unnaturally warm. When the light died away, both figures were gone. The arena’s power flickered back on

Alice and Chase looked around, and found the entire staff and student population staring down at them. Chase looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. Alice had the decency to look embarrassed, although there was a grin on her face like she had been caught with her hand in the Poffin Jar.

_ We are in deep, deep shit... _

***

“This is an outrage! Never in my time at the academy has such misbehavior occurred!” Doctor Eis, head of the Entrance Exam screeched. “You’ve caused a ruckus and sent one student to the nurse!! I have no idea how you managed to disturb the power generator, or cause the earthquakes, but it’s clearly your fault!!”

_ ‘He’s a Whismur who woke up on the wrong side of the bed.’ _ Alice mouthed to Chase, who didn’t respond.

“What do you have to say for yourselves?!”

“I plead the fifth.” Said Alice solemnly. Chase resisted the urge to facepalm.

“You have no understanding about what you’ve done, do you?!”

“But we didn’t do anything!” Alice tried again.

“That is the biggest lie I’ve ever heard! How else do you explain all the disasters?! The Entrance Exam is a dignified part of Jaden Ketchem Academy’s legacy, and you and your mischief have ruined this year’s!”

“Have you ever heard of someone being able to control things like that?” Chase tried to argue while Alice said plainly,

“We can’t do stuff like that.”

“Regardless, you have caused a huge disruption in the Entrance Exam, and showed up four minutes late to boot! Give me ONE,” Alice winced as his voice took a sudden pitch, “reason why I should even CONSIDER your applications, after all the chaos you’ve had a part in?!” The two duelists were quiet, and Doctor Eis smirked. Then Chase quietly asked,

“...have we done anything wrong?” 

“Excuse me?”

“Have we done anything wrong? If anything, the only thing we can be accused of is causing a disturbance. How can the earthquakes and power surges be our fault? We have no control over stuff like that.”

“Good point.” Alice nodded.

“Hush.” Chase muttered, because he didn’t want her saying anything that would reverse the small gain he had hopefully made.

“Look us up in the database. We took the written exam, and passed. That guarantees us a chance to participate in the dueling portion of the entrance exam.”

“Actually,” Alice raised her hand, “the dueling portion is only required to place students in the various houses! If you pass the written exam, you have a spot in the academy. Right?” She smiled at Eis, who ground his jaw.

_ They aren’t as ignorant as I first took them to be... _

“Sooo...can we duel?” Alice twiddled her thumbs, smiling brightly.

Eis scowled at the pair of them, thoughts turning like gears.  _ I can’t allow them to take the dueling portion of the exam, because that would ruin the reputation of this fine establishment. The students would never take me seriously ever again, and even some of the staff would question me. But I can’t simply kick them out, or forbid them from taking the dueling portion of the exam. The board would be all over me, and Bentz would give me the whole “equal opportunity education” speech. They know this, and are using this against me...curses...I must speak with the others about this...perhaps they’ll have a solution. _

Turning to the teens, he gave them what could have been a stern look. “You will stay where you are sitting and not leave those seats. You will touch nothing, and don’t even think about causing any more trouble.”

“Yes ma’am.” Alice nodded seriously. Chase blanched as Eis’s face scorched.

“I’m sorry, sir!” Eis let out an wordless screech and stormed out through the door, slamming it on his way out. Alice blinked, realizing what she had said. She scratched the back of her neck nervously.

“Ah...oops?” Chase groaned, hiding his face behind both hands and letting his elbows rest on his legs.

“No words...I have. No words.”  _ It was honestly supposed to be a great day. Finally be able to leave Greenfield with Alice and her dad, and come to take the dueling portion of the entrance exam. We’d get admitted to Jaden Ketchum Academy and I would get placed in one of the dorms with Alice. Eventually, the two of us would be able to shake up the school. _

_ And then...things...it would be an understatement to call things a disaster. _ Not only had they missed the deadline for the second half of the exam, but they had caused so much trouble that there was a snowball’s chance in Hell that they would be allowed in.  _ The moment we get into a private place, I will grill Tiempo into the ground.  _ The brown haired duelist swore.  _ What the hell caused him to behave like that? Either way... _ “We’re so screwed.”

“No we’re not.” Said Alice.

“Alice...they’re not going to accept us, because of all the stuff that happened. Even if  _ someone else _ did it. They need a scapegoat.”

“And they won’t because that would be a violation of some code or law or whatever.” She argued. “‘sides, if he was just gonna kick us out, he would have done it already. He wouldn’t have just left us here.” Her dark green eyes scanned the room, landing on a jar on the desk. “That looks like really good candy. Want some?” She meant to lean over and reach into the jar, but Chase grabbed her wrist and forced her to stay sitting.

“Absolutely not. You heard him.”

“Chaaaasseee...” She whined. “If we did everything that everyone told us to do, we wouldn’t be here!”

“Maybe...but you called the one who can cancel our applications a woman. We’re in dangerous waters right now.”

“Eehh...” The pink-haired girl rolled her eyes, then looked down at her arm. “Can you let go of me, now?” Chase looked down to see his hand still wrapped around Alice’s wrist. His ears burned as he quickly released her.

“Sorry.” She folded her hands in her lap and sighed.

“I wonder how long we’ll have to wait.”

They ended up waiting over half an hour. Alice was dozing in her chair, and Chase had his eyes shut when the door opened and Eis returned, closing it behind him. Brown eyes opened, and their owner quickly nudged Alice awake. Eis walked over to his desk and sat behind it. He placed his tablet on the desk and gave both duelists a long, hard look.

“Sorry about earlier.” Alice said. Eis said nothing.

“So...um...what’ll happen to our applications?” Chase hesitantly asked. Eis shut his eyes and let out a long breath of air through his nose.

“You...it has been decided that you will be admitted to the academy.” He said through gritted teeth.

“Really?! Thank you!” Alice smiled brightly.

“On one condition.” Chase saw an evil gleam in the man’s eye, and swallowed. “Are you aware of the three dorms here at Jaden Ketchum Academy?”

“Uh-huh! Kyogre Blue, Raikou Yellow, and Moltres Red!”

“Well, you may not be aware that there is a fourth dorm.”

“What’s this dorm called?”

“There is no name.”

“Eh?”

“This dorm has not been an active part Jaden Ketchum Academy, and, as a result, has never been assigned a color or mascot.”

“But then it’s at the bottom of the pecking order.” Chase realized. “That’s-”

“The only option available to you. Accept it, or have your application denied.” Doctor Eis smirked, knowing he had trapped the two in a corner.

“I have a question.” Alice raised her hand. “How many students are there in this dorm?” Even Chase could have answered that question. Eis’s answer was sharp and simple.

“None.”

“Really?” Alice’s face fell slightly, before she brightened up. “Okay! I’ll take that!”

“Alice?!”

“That’s the only option, so of course I’ll take it!” She smiled. “What about you, Chase?” He hesitated, but Alice’s smile broke any argument he could have come up with.

“...sure, I’m in.”

“Yay!”

***

“CHARLOTTE!!!” The brunette who was being addressed didn’t look up from her laptop screen, probably because her earbuds, turned up to full volume, were blocking out her roommate’s voice. “CHARLOTTE LOBIS!!!” Her blue-haired roommate tried again, this time pulling out her earbuds both from the laptop and the girl’s ears. “CHARLOTTE!!”

“What the hell, Jacklyn?!” The punk-haired girl yelled, hazel eyes snapping up from the anime she had been watching. “Do you have a death wish or something?!”

“Heck no! But why weren’t you at the Entrance Exams?!” The white-and-red-vested third-year couldn’t contain herself.

The brunette-Charlotte, scoffed. “I have better things to do than watch the shit-for-system corrupt the minds of the new kids.” She paused her anime and reached for her earbuds, but Jacklyn held them away. She growled. “Give them back, Jacky.” 

“No! Listen to what happened!” Charlotte sighed, dropping her head into her bed covers.

“Do I have to?”

“Do you want your earbuds back?” Jacklyn dangled them in front of her face. Charlotte made a grab for them, but missed. She glared at the blue-haired girl, then gave up.

“Fine, make it quick.”

“It was going normal, like how it was last year when you came,” Jacklyn took a quick breath and continued, “and then all of a sudden, the arena started shaking, and the power was going crazy!!” She waved her hands around, trying to convey the chaos. Charlotte wasn’t paying attention to her words; she was watching her earbuds get whipped around. “And these two kids, started yelling at each other! Half of what they said didn’t make sense,” Jacklyn lowered her arms, and Charlotte considered making a grab for her earbuds, “but they managed to stop the earthquakes and power surges!! Then Eis dragged them off to the office! And here’s the crazy part! He actually admitted them to the academy!!!”

“You’re kidding.” The Moltres Red girl was finally paying attention.

“No, I’m dead serious!”

“So I’m assuming they’re got placed in Red with us?”

“Nope!”

“No?” Her eyebrows stitched together in confusion. “Where else would they go? You can’t go any lower than Red, and no way in hell would Eis put them in Yellow.”

“Eis stuck them in the Unnamed Dorm.” It took Charlotte a moment to make the connection.

“But that dorm’s been-”

“Dead for fifteen years, I know! But you know what that means?”

“I have no clue.”

“We’re not at the bottom anymore.” Her voice was a whisper, full of excitement. “We’re not at the bottom anymore, and less at risk of expulsion.”

“And the system consumes another victim.” Charlotte rolled her eyes and held out her hand. “Earbuds, now, please.”

“Charlotte…” Jacklyn whined.

“I listened. I commented. Earbuds, now.” The third-year rolled her eyes, but complied.

“I’m going to go help move the new kids in. Don’t forget we have school tours tomorrow, Red Queen.”

“Yeah, yeah. I hear you, Duchess.” Both girls laughed before Jacklyn left the room, shutting the door behind her. Charlotte put her earbuds back into her ears, but didn’t press play on her anime. Instead, she stared at the screen, thinking. 

“The Unnamed Dorm, huh? I wonder how they’ll handle that...” She shrugged. “Who knows...”

***

The forest was quiet except for the sound of crickets chirping in the distance. Light from the half moon trickled down to the dirt path Alice and Chase were walking on, illuminating it.

“Are we there yet?” Alice moaned, dragging her bag behind her as Chase led the way, guided by his Map. The path they were trudging down was dark, with only a crescent moon to guide them. Trees stood on every side, like silent guards escorting them during their journey from the school’s main building.

“Not yet.” Chase sighed, glancing up from the screen for a moment before his eyes flickered down again. “This place is a bit off the grid, from what I can tell.”

They had arrived on the island via boat along with the rest of the new students, but instead of being led towards the auditorium like the rest of the student body, Chase and Alice had been separated by a blue-haired woman claiming to be Eis’s secretary; she had been nice enough, compared to Eis.

Because of the ‘unofficial-ness’ of the dorm, Alice and Chase would have to do a lot of hard work. The secretary had listed off the tasks they would need to complete, and then once those were decided, they would be able to receive an advisor, have the dorm updated, unique to the dorm, and have 

So when the other students had broken off, some going West, others going South and East, Chase and Alice had headed North, eventually breaking off from a paved path and walking past a calm lake that gleamed silver in the moonlight.

“Boooorrrriiiinnnngggg...” The pinkett groaned. “And we’re gonna have to take this walk every...single...day…” Chase would have expressed his displeasure alongside Alice, but someone had to keep face, and he was the only one who could.

“We’re almost there, c'mon.” The map on his screen showed they were getting closer.

“I heard that the Blue dorms have workout rooms.” Alice commented. “With a walk like this every day, who needs a workout room?”

“Heh.” Was all the response the younger boy gave, and they continued to move forward. Finally, something large and symmetrical began to emerge from the woods, and the trees began to become less closely packed together.

“I think I see something!” The shape was large, looming over the two of them and stretched out to the left and right. The two duelists came to a halt and let their eyes adjust and take in the building that would be their new home.

“Is this it?” They stared up at the building, whose dark form loomed above them.

“...” Alice reached into her bag, and pulled out a flashlight. Clicking it on, she swung it from the second floor all the way to the door. No zombies, bats, or other creatures jumped out at them. “Well, looks like we’re here.”

“Looks more like a haunted house than a dorm.” Chase’s observation wasn’t too far off the mark; most of the windows were boarded up, and the ones that weren’t were cracked and broken. The doors were closed tightly and had a chain wrapped around the handles to keep them from being opened. Weeds grew next to the building, and something that looked like ivy was creeping up one of the walls.  _ I should have known they were going to screw us over. _ Chase thought, shaking his head.  _ First throw us into an unofficial dorm, then give us a haunted house. What’s next?  _

“Well, let’s check it out.” Alice stepped forward, pulling the key they had been given out of her pocket. Inserting it into the lock, it took a little bit of work for the key to turn, as the lock was rusted. When it did turn, the lock clicked open and the chains clattered against the door.

The entryway had a thick layer of dust and dirt covering the tiles. There were shoe cubbies on each side, cobwebs filling them, and pottery shards littered the ground. These things were revealed by Alice and Chase’s flashlights as they swung over all the surfaces.

“Ah…” Alice muttered as she rolled her suitcase in behind her and pulled the door shut behind them. Thankfully, it didn’t swing open. “Could be worse.”

“Don’t say that yet.” Chase sighed, stepping into what had to be the main room. There were two staircases ascending to the upper levels on either side of the entrance, and furniture was randomly placed around the room, protected by dust-covered cloth. The carpet was matted and stained, and a walkway that ran along the length of the room had it’s guardrails breaking off. Torn green banners covered the walls and banisters, moving slightly when a small breeze snuck through the broken window.

“ _ Woo-woo _ !!” Alice’s flashlight whipped around, landing on a small black and grey creature, that hissed angrily because it was being blinded.

“Oh, sorry.” She lowered the beam so it was on the ground.

“You are apologizing to a raccoon.” Chase said in a bland voice, looking at the creature who was sitting on a counter.

“But it worked!” She did have a point. When the light had been lowered, the black and white animal had stopped hissing and instead stared at them with the most intense look on its face. It then sat on its hindquarters and began to chatter in a disapproving way.

“Well, soorrryyy. This is going to be our home too, so you should get used to sharing.” Alice put one hand on her hip. Chase sweatdropped.

_ It’s at times like this that I wonder about her sanity...   _ “Shoo!!” He waved his arms, and the racoon hissed once before taking a flying leap out of a broken window.

“We’ll be seeing him again.” Alice said, placing her bags next to the covered couch.

“How do you know it’s a him?”

“I just do.” Chase shook his head in exasperation as he placed his bags alongside hers. “I think I found our kitchen!!” She pointed her flashlight at a  dark room off to the side, with a counter opening up to the main room. It had been where the raccoon had been sitting. “And the power’s off.” Alice tried flicking a light switch on the wall, but it didn’t do anything.

“That doesn’t surprise me at all.” He rolled his eyes. “However, there’s something we need to address.”

“What?”

“I want to know exactly what caused Tiempo to go on a rampage.” His brown eyes searched for something he couldn’t find. “I know you four are listening.”

_ “...” _

_ “...” _

_ “...” _

_ “...” _

“Let’s sit.” The two duelists sat on one of the dusty, covered couches. “How about you make yourselves seen.” Chase said, with a bit more authority in his voice.

_ “...” _

_ “...” _

_ “...” _

_ “...okay.”  _ Four balls of light slowly appeared in front of them, bobbing up and down at eye level. Two orbs, a green-blue and blue-orange one floated on the outside, with purple-yellow and pink-green orbs in-between them. The male duelist scowled in the direction of the green-blue orb.

“Tiempo, what the hell were you thinking?”

_ “...” _

_ “He was not.” _ The yellow-purple orb muttered, and Alice had the feeling of eyes being rolled.  _ “Like a typical male, he did not stop to think.” _ A low growl was ignored.

“ _ Doing something is better than being struck paralyzed by your own Arceus-damn fear. _ ”

_ “It’s a long story.”  _ The pink-green orb next to the green one tried to explain, floating up and down.  _ “I assure you, it is very long and complex, and you don’t want to hear it.” _

“So you’re not going to explain why you acted like you did earlier today?” When none of the orbs responded, Chase sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Fine. For the time being, you’re all getting sealed.” The blue-orange orb shot up.

_ “¡¿Qué?! That’s not fair! It was Tiem who messed up! Why punish us?!” _

_ “Because we did not stop him, and now look at where Alice and Chase are.” _ The purple-yellow orb responded miserably.

“Oh come on, Chase!!” Alice whined. “Sealing Anna and Eve will mess up my strategies!! Plus it’ll be boring!”

_ “Yes, please reconsider, Master Chase.” _

“I’ll have to adjust my strategy too, since Tiempo and Crystal will be sealed away. And since we don’t know what that shadow was,” Chase gave the green-blue orb an odd look, “we should be on guard. Having them around could put a target sign on our backs.” Alice fidgeted, looking down at her folded hands.

“Yeah...that’s true…”

_ “...” _

“So you’re going to accept it?” The blue-green orb bobbed slightly.

_ “How long will we be away?” _ The orange-blue orb asked remorsefully, nudging Anna’s arm. She reached out, and pulled the yellow-purple and orange-blue orbs into a hug. They bumped against her chin softly.

“At least a trimester, or until we find out what the shadow was.” Answered Chase.

_ “Hasta luego.” _

_ “Jagbyeol insa.” _ The two orbs vanished as Alice reluctantly removed four cards from her deck, and handed them to Chase, who placed them in a leather holder. The pink-green orb floated around Chase’s head, while the green-blue orb remained stolic. Chase looked at the green-pink orb before he opened the pouch again, this time holding four of his cards in his hands.

“...sorry.” He placed them in the pouch and clipping it closed, causing the last orbs to vanish. The two duelists were silent, staring at the empty space in front of them. It was strange. It was like a light had been on, and now someone had switched it off. The empty dorm had suddenly gotten much colder, emptier, and quieter.

Finally, Chase sighed.

“Let’s at least get this area cleaned up.”

“Yeah...good idea…” Alice muttered, fingering the couch cover.

“I’m going to check on water, and try and find a bathroom. You get this area decent.”

“Alright.” Chase turned and headed down the left hallway. He entered the kitchen first, which opened up to the common room, but no water came from the tap. Immediately across from the kitchen was what looked like a dining room. The hallway beyond that was dark, so he swung his flashlight from side-to-side. Doorways were on every side of the hall, and Chase swung his flashlight into one of them. It was a bedroom for two people, with a bunkbed and two desks pushed against the wall. Like the common room, cobwebs and dust was everywhere, covering the green sheets. He shook his head and continued on.

The rest of the rooms weren’t the same condition. Many of them had their beds or desks broken, and several had graffiti covering the walls and blankets torn up.

Halfway down the hallway, he found a communal bathroom. The tiles were cracked and faded, but when Chase turned one of the facets, there was a bit of sputtering before water came out. He nodded, satisfied.  _ That works for now. _ They had a place to wash up, there was running water, and the sheets would do for the time being, until they got things organized. Heading back down the hallway, he heard sounds of movement from Alice. Then,

“ _ WAAAAAAH-CHOO _ !!!”

“Alice?!” He increased his pace.

“I’m okay! Just dust!” He emerged into the common room to see Alice rubbing her nose. He sighed. She was always getting into something, and without Tiempo or Crystal to help keep track of her, he had the feeling his stress level would shoot up through the roof.

_ Maybe sealing them isn’t such a good idea… _ He shook his head.  _ No, I’ll just have to deal with it. _

“So what’d you find?”

“I found running water, and a bunch of sheets we can use. The rooms are a mess, though.”

“How about we just sleep out here?” Alice pulled off the covers of another piece of furniture, sneezing as dust filled the air again. “There’re plenty of couches around.” It was true, as Chase could count at least eight pieces of said furniture. “Think of it as camping!” A small smile made it’s way onto his face.

“Alright. I’m going to get the blankets.” Several minutes later, they had two couches pushed side by side, glowsticks on the ground to provide light. Both teens had changed into their pajamas and were curled up under the blankets to protect themselves from the cold air slipping through the windows.  S ilence consumed the room; even the usually-bubbly Alice was swallowed. Finally, she spoke.

“Hey Chase?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think this was a good idea?” The pink-haired girl stared up at the dark ceiling.

“...I don’t know.” Chase clenched the edge of his blanket. “I honestly don’t know.” So many things could go wrong. They were going to run into opposition, that was guaranteed, but to what degree he didn’t know. There were going to be challenges, but he could hope that it wouldn’t be too much for them to handle.  _ Arceus, if you’re listening, send the worst at me. Spare Alice, please. _

“Well, it could be worse.”

“You shouldn’t say that.” He scolded.

“No, I mean…” Alice glanced over at the boy on the couch next to her. “I know that with my best friend with me, I can accomplish anything.” She smiled, face illuminated by the glowsticks.

“...Thanks, Alice. And...thanks for having your dad give me the scholarship.”

“It was nothing! Even if you’re my friend, I know no one else deserved it more than you.”

“Anyway,” he changed the topic, “do you think you’ll be okay?”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “It may be an unfamiliar place, but the glowsticks should last ‘til dawn.” Chase nodded in agreement.

“We need to get this place cleaned up as soon as possible. Electricity’s going to be the first priority.”

“Hmm.” Alice agreed. Then she grinned. “Oh look. He’s back.” Chase followed her pointing finger and glowered when he saw the raccoon from before sitting at the edge of one of the windows, watching them. The moonlight was streaming past it, illuminating grey fur with a white glow. “Don’t make that face.” She scolded. “I don’t think he means any harm, do you?” The raccoon tilted his head and examined him. Chase sighed.

“Maybe not, but it’s still freaky.” A sharp snort came from the raccoon, but Chase ignored it. Something else came forward in his mind.

“Oh great.”

“What?”

“I just realized we don’t have any food for breakfast.”

“We do!” Alice grinned. “Mom sent me with some Poptarts for the road, but I never ate them!” She paused, and looked at the raccoon. “Don’t go stealing them from me.” There was a disappointed chatter. “I’ll give you one if you behave.” The raccoon sat up straighter.

Internally, Chase was wondering how much the raccoon actually understood, but knew better than to voice his opinions aloud. Alice turned so she was facing the ceiling once more and snuggled deeper into her blankets.

“We have two days to get ready...before school starts. So let’s do our best.”

“Yeah...let’s do our best.” He smiled gently, before drifting off to the sound of the wind whispering through the broken windows.


End file.
